Do others target certain caches as part of challenges, etc, or just find any cache with no preferences

[+Goldenwattle]

I used to find any cache, but now I don't care if I don't find as many and would rather target caches. In a rough order of my preferences I target SideTracked caches, 2000 caches and other old ones to fill up challenges to find a cache published in each month since the game started, caches I need for challenge caches, Mary MacKillop caches, Webcams (found three; only one more in Australia to find) and lately Earthcaches and Virtuals. I used to ignore the last two, but I need to increase my finds in them for challenges. Besides, some Earthcaches have taken me to some wonderful places, such as the couple of photographs below demonstrate. They were visited on my recent around Australia. I might not have visited those interesting places, but for Earthcaches. However, unfortunately not all Earthcaches are as exciting.

Of course if none of these are available, I will target any cache, usually going for larger containers first, and the micros last.

GC2A441

 

GC7BWAH

[+mustakorppi]

I’m still on my streak, so I can’t be too picky. I try to remember to check my stats to see if I’m missing a cache type for the calendar day (I have 3 full rounds of find date calendar, but not for any single cache type).

 

When I’m travelling, I try to find railway station and church caches, at least one cache per county and multiple cache types per county if possible. Oldest per county and island caches per county are usually logistically too difficult for me, so those challenges I ignore.

 

There are local cache type challenges for earthcaches, virtuals and wherigos (and some attribute based as well) that require obscene amount of finds so I’m basically just ignoring them. Especially since I don’t enjoy these cache types much either.

 

I also have an ongoing FTF per month streak that I’m conscious of, but I guess I wouldn’t care too much if that broke.

[+barefootjeff]

In 2017 I spent a year targeting caches with a D2/T4 rating in order to qualify for a challenge cache (GC6QQPE), but they were more special trips away to go after qualifying caches rather than in place of my more usual caching activity. Since I've pretty much cleared out my local region now, I'll pounce on anything new that appears near home, whether it's a micro P&G, a long hike or a kayak paddle. Likewise when I do a day trip to somewhere a bit further afield, I'll generally attempt everything on offer there, which is rarely more than half a dozen caches anyway. With so few caches to pick from now that I haven't already found, I can't afford to be fussy.

 

That said, there are a few COs I keep a bit of a watch on and will have a go at any new ones they put out almost regardless of distance from home, as I know I'll be in for a treat when I get there. Also a fair bit of my caching this year has been on group outings which are always good fun regardless of the sort of caches we end up doing.

[+vw_k]

One of the many great things about geocaching is that you can play it however you like. I currently target caches that are part of large UK nationwide series (Sidetracked, Church Micro, A Fine Pair, Village Signs) and will also target caches which are most helpful towards souvenirs such as the current Signal's Labyrinth ones.

If a cache helps me fill my D/T grid then it will also catch my interest.

[+JL_HSTRE]

I will seek caches to qualify for challenges so long as it just focuses my caching, but doesn't really change it.

 

Cache Across America series is on my To Do list. I make a point to get those caches when I'm in the area. So far they have been caches worth getting anyway. However, I'm not making any special trips to get them, merely making sure to include them as part of other trips.

 

A series of challenges came out for finding the five oldest caches in each Florida county. Oldies are usually goodies anyway. I will make sure these are on my To Do.

 

Another challenge series in Florida is 100 Finds in each county. I will make no effort to boost my numbers for specific counties. I qualify for some already, will qualify for others eventually through my normal activity, and some I will never qualify for because they involve counties I rarely visit.

[+Goldenwattle]

On 10/15/2022 at 5:21 PM, mustakorppi said:

county

I forgot to add that one. I'm trying to find at least one cache in every county in Australia, so if I am in a new county I will try to find a cache, any cache in that instance, to log.

[+Goldenwattle]

4 hours ago, JL_HSTRE said:

Another challenge series in Florida is 100 Finds in each county.

Couldn't do that here. Few counties would have that many. There may be some with no caches. One county I want to go to the trip after my next, only has about six caches for instance.

[+Goldenwattle]

On 10/16/2022 at 5:43 AM, vw_k said:

Sidetracked, Church Micro, A Fine Pair, Village Signs

We have SideTracked caches in Australia, but not the other series. I have published three SideTracked caches; two local, Canberra GC7HMHC and Queanbeyan GC7K10Z, and recently used my virtual cache to put one at a remote railway station where there are few caches; only one other in the town. SideTracked Normanton - GC9P6QB. It's a long way to the next caches, between 70 and 380kms, depending which direction travelled, so I thought a virtual was more useful there, and I didn't just want to add another virtual in the crowded cache local area. I am soon going to spend a couple of weeks in Melbourne, mainly to find SideTracked caches which have been 'breeding' there. I have booked a hotel across the street from a railway station, so it will easy to catch trains to the stations.

I did target Church Micro on my last UK trip (I didn't know about SideTracked caches then), but as we don't have Church Micro here in Australia and I can't increase the number of finds without a trip to the UK, if I visit the UK again, I will target SideTracked next time instead.

Edited November 5, 2022 by Goldenwattle

[+Harry Dolphin]

Took us a three day to finish the New Jersey Delorme and County challenges.  Cape May is 114 miles as the crow flies.  When we went to my brother's wedding in Washington, we made side trips to pick up British Columbia and Oregon.  Finding a cache with the owner's name starting with 5, was a forty mile trip.  Still contemplating a visit to Power Island, Michigan for the Jasmer Challenge.  That's 621 miles away.  Yup, I've been known to taget certain caches for challenges.

[+Jayeffel]

I have ever heard or saw the term SideTracked caches, what are they?

Edited October 17, 2022 by Jayeffel
spelling

[+cerberus1]

Quote

Do others target certain caches as part of challenges, etc, or just find any cache with no preferences

 

I've yet to go after a challenge (that was the other 2/3rds thing...), this is a hobby to me, but I do "target" caches.

The search is simple...It has to be in green, T2 or over, preferably a long walk, unique area, or awesome view and I'm good.  

[+Gill & Tony]

14 hours ago, Jayeffel said:

I have ever heard or saw the term SideTracked caches, what are they?

Caches near railway stations or near railway tracks, I believe.

[+HHL]

14 hours ago, Jayeffel said:

I have ever heard or saw the term SideTracked caches, what are they?

https://sidetrackedseries.info/

[+Jayeffel]

Thanks

[+Goldenwattle]

57 minutes ago, Gill & Tony said:

Caches near railway stations or near railway tracks, I believe.

They are based on stations, but not all are traditional caches and they might take you a bit away.

[Darwin473]

At the moment, I'm very much a "targets of opportunity" cacher. All my spare time is being soaked up by other projects, and I haven't gone out on a geohunt in a long time (last vacation, I think). I've already found all the ones within walking distance of me, but I would like to go out more often.

 

Having said that, when I do go out, I'm trying to get all the ones in an area if I can. If get any DNF's, I try again if I can (bit hard when caching on holiday).

[+CAVinoGal]

We pretty much cleared our loca area (within 10-15 miles) when we decided to fill our calendar grid in 2018; we started caching in March 2017 and in December decided to find at least one cache a day in 2018.  We did that, ended our "streak" at 404 days, and since then have cached as the mood strikes us. 

 

We are retired, and do geocaching as we travel.  It's fun to explore a new area through geocaching.  We will go for FTF's at home  if they are close and the timing is convenient, but if it isn't someone else can go for it!  We do events to meet with local cachers; we've made some good friends through this hobby.  I do enjoy puzzles and challenge caches - if they are nearby where we are, I will solve the puzzles (if I can) to grab while we are in the area; I will check to see how close we might be to fulfilling a challenge and sign the log with a note to keep checking to claim the find when we do fulfill it. 

 

Yes, we will try to earn souvenirs for the promotions as they are offered, and sometimes will target specific caches to earn points and souvenirs.  The current Labyrinth series it seems our "normal" activity locally (picking up the newly published caches when we happen to be nearby or going for the FTF) and as we travel seems to earn enough points to earn the souvenirs without making any special effort.  We've earned both souvenirs on each one to date, except the current one but we are only 2 weeks in, got the first souvenir, and are halfway to the second souvenir.  A trip to Arizona before the end of November should nab us the second souvenir without any extra effort if we haven't already got it.

[+Mysterion604]

I did not care much about challenges in my first year or more, but this year I have gotten more into going after them, so I have made an effort to go after some caches that will qualify me for challenges. Still, it is not an all-consuming goal for me.

 

 

 

[+thebruce0]

My main targets pre-planned are for challenges. And in Ontario with thousands of challenges, which I've all bookmarked and keep track of (even those over a day's drive away), there's no end to target caches I can use towards qualifying for something. Casual caching? meh, head out with some friends and hit up whatever we aim for that day. But I certainly plan to target qualifiers escpecially if they are date-found dependent (by date, month, year, etc). 

For one, it helps make sure that those mystery caches with an ALR (challenge caches) can actually BE logged as found when I drive by and sign in.

Secondly, I love the goal-oriented fun of challenge caching, and how amazingly well-rounded it makes your geocaching experiences. You do things and go places you may otherwise never have considered if it weren't for challenge caches (just like geocaching to muggle life gets you discovering places you never would have seen if it weren't for geocaching)

 

To me, challenge caching is to geocaching what geocaching is to the muggle life